Take These 7 Medicinal Herbs for a Healthier You

China and other Asian countries have welcomed herbal therapy with open arms for centuries, and they’re now recognised in Western medicine too. If you’re looking to soothe symptoms or want to increase your overall wellness, there are a variety of medicinal herbs worth adding to your diet.

Here are seven popular herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which are considered unsung heroes.

Lily Bulb

A notable edible flower in Chinese cuisine, lily bulbs (bai he, 百合) are a regular appearance in vegetarian dishes, soups, and stews. It’s also an important herb in TCM and has been used for over 2,000 years.

The delicate flower is described as bittersweet in taste and is used to treat chronic coughs, fever, and respiratory diseases. This is because of its sweet and cooling properties that can moisten your Lungs and clear Lung Heat.

Not only is it associated with the Lung meridian, but it’s also linked to the Heart meridian, alleviating a dry throat and cough, while treating Heart Yin Deficiency, which shows up in symptoms such as irritability, insomnia, heart palpitations, and restlessness.

The International Journal of Agriculture and Nutrition lists the following as the herb’s most important health benefits: 

• Helps with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 
• Improves sleep quality 
• Stops heart palpitations 

• Enhances focus and concentration 
• Prevents and stops diarrhoea 
• Can be used to treat a low-grade fever 

Lily bulbs contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, folate, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, and C, and an ample amount of protein and starch. It’s easy to see why it’s an effective superfood and herbal remedy. 

Dried Longan

Associated with the Heart and Spleen meridians, dried longan (long yan rou, 龙眼肉) is used for people who feel weak, have difficulty falling asleep, or tend to be forgetful. As the Heart also includes the mind in TCM, eating dried longan can help you feel calm and improve concentration and memory. It’s considered to have sweet and warm properties.

A 2022 review published in the International Journal of Current Science Research and Review outlined that dried longans can be used to increase memory, relieve insomnia, prevent amnesia, treat anaemia, improve qi flow, and promote blood metabolism. 

You might have seen dried longans in sweet and sour dishes and desserts. It’s even more reasons to enjoy them! 

Red Dates

Another fruit to add to your list is Chinese red dates (da zao, 大枣), also known as jujubes. Grown in China for over 4,000 years, this fruit has gained popularity in recent years, spreading in cultivation to Europe, Australia, Russia, and the southwestern United States. 

Red dates in Chinese herbal medicine formulas help balance and replenish your qi, tonify the blood, and are also used in dishes to sweeten or balance flavours. It’s perfect if you suffer from a loss of appetite and loose stools due to Spleen Deficiency syndromes. You might have also spotted this nutritionally rich fruit in cosmetics and supplements. 

On top of that, research in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism shows that jujubes have beneficial effects on metabolic disorders and can be used to treat gastrointestinal disorders.

Lingzhi

This fungus has been a popular natural remedy in traditional medicine for its healing properties. Ground into powder or taken in supplement form, lingzhi mushroom (ling zhi, 灵芝) is best known to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, replenish qi, boost the immune system, relieve asthmatic symptoms, and contain anti-cancer properties.

A research study published in the medical research journal Heliyon was the first to confirm that the peptides from lingzhi mushroom proteins can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Taking it as a supplement makes you more energetic, have better memory and concentration, and prevent digestive disorders. 

Chinese Yam

Chinese yam (huai shan, 淮山), may not be a vegetable you see during your regular trip to the supermarkets. They’re pale yellow and have a cylindrical shape. As a herbal treatment, the starchy veggie is a key herb in TCM for strengthening the Kidneys and is beneficial to your Liver.

A study published in Nutrients found that Chinese yam has antidiabetic effects which help with oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, and cholesterol, as well as improve Liver and Kidney function. It also has antioxidant properties (zinc, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, selenium, and copper) and is nutritiously rich in vitamin B-1 and C, amylase, glutamine, mucilage, and amino acid content. 

Consuming Chinese yam helps with frequent urination, chronic diarrhoea, poor appetite, dry coughs and asthma, and even diabetes. 

Chinese Wolfberries

Chinese wolfberries (gou qi zi, 枸杞子) or goji berries are considered one of the fruits that are rich in antioxidants. They’re traditionally used for the skin and as a remedy for improving eyesight.

Known as a sweet herb, it’s tasty in juices, tea, liqueur, and soups. TCM practitioners would also recommend it to temper acute reactions within the body and to replenish qi and blood.

Just like Chinese yam, the antioxidants found in goji berries have a tonic effect on the Kidneys and Liver, which slows ageing and the onset of dementia. An article published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine verified that wolfberries have both valuable nutritional and bioactive properties because it can: 

• Increase energy 

• Improve brain function, enhance learning and memory 
• Improve blood sugar levels 
• Fight ageing skin 
• Boost the immune system
• Help with weight loss and obesity 

• Improve eyesight 
• Inhibit the spread of cancer cells 

Apricot Kernel

High in fibre, protein, and essential fatty acids, apricot kernel (xing ren, 杏仁) has been consumed for hundreds of years. Apricot kernel is the seed found inside apricot pits and contains an important component, amygdalin (vitamin B17). They help fight against cardiovascular disease and cancer and are also used in TCM to alleviate symptoms of Lung and large intestine conditions.

A review in Technium BioChemMed confirms that apricot kernel is a reliable source of medicine and contains compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamins. These play an important role in preventing diseases and maintaining health. Apricot kernel is also effective against stomach inflammation, tumour formation, liver disorders, and chronic heart diseases. 

It’s important to take note that apricot kernels should be used with caution as they contain a strong toxin called hydrogen cyanide, which can only be eaten when properly cooked. You should only eat up to 20 kernels at a time.

TCM techniques and natural Western health remedies have intertwined with the understanding that old practices can go a long way. Depending on your ailment, consult your TCM practitioner and add these medicinal herbs as alternatives to improve your health. 

Have other natural herbs you’d like to share? Let us know what your favourites are below. 

This is an adaptation of the article “Herbal Heroes”, which first appeared on the Eu Yan Sang website.